Pence to come off DL on Saturday

Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - The San Francisco Giants are on the verge of getting back one of their key starters.

Prior to Friday's game against the Reds, Giants manager Bruce Bochy revealed that the club will activate right fielder Hunter Pence off the disabled list in time for Saturday's contest.

Pence, according to the San Jose Mercury-News, is already en route to Cincinnati from Las Vegas, where he was finishing up a rehab stint with San Francisco's Triple-A club in Sacramento. He finished 5-for-17 with two home runs, two walks, four strikeouts and six runs scored during that five-game stay.

The fiery outfielder has yet to play in the majors this season, sidelined since early in spring training after being hit in the left arm and suffering a fracture.

Pence hit .277 with 20 homers and 74 RBI while playing in all 162 regular- season games for the Giants last year, and then hit a scorching .444 (12- for-27) in the franchise's seven-game World Series triumph over the Royals.